SAG Awards 2013: Bardem, Arkin talk supporting actor nods

Philip Seymour Hoffman, above, was nominated for best supporting actor by the Screen Actors Guild. Joining him in the category are Javier Bardem, Alan Arkin, Robert De Niro and Tommy Lee Jones.

Philip Seymour Hoffman, above, was nominated for best supporting actor by the Screen Actors Guild. Joining him in the category are Javier Bardem, Alan Arkin, Robert De Niro and Tommy Lee Jones. (Weinstein Co.)

“I was like, ‘Really? Wow. What an honor.’ You never expect this to happen. It’s a nice surprise,” said the 43-year-old, speaking from London, where he had just received word of the nomination via text message from his publicist.

The five supporting actors to receive SAG Award nominations are veterans of the award circuit: Bardem, Alan Arkin, Robert De Niro, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Tommy Lee Jones. Arkin, recognized for his role as a wealthy movie producer in “Argo,” sent out this lighthearted statement: “WOW! I will never complain about my SAG dues again!!”

Among those remaining mum were Hoffman, who plays the charismatic leader of a cult-like group in “The Master”; Jones, spotlighted for his part as a sharp-tongued congressman in “Lincoln”; and De Niro, honored for his role as a football-loving father with obsessive compulsive tendencies in “Silver Linings Playbook.”

Bardem, who has his award season screeners sent to him in Spain, said he has yet to receive many of the movies up for SAG Awards.

“I haven’t seen many of the performances I’m up against,” he said, “but I’m sure they are amazing.”

Ben Affleck's "Argo," a drama about the Iranian hostage crisis, won the highest acting honor Sunday night at the 19th Screen Actors Guild Awards. The CIA thriller, which won best ensemble cast, also won the directing honor at the Golden Globe Awards two weeks ago and the best picture award at the...